“Converse with the Crossroads of the Wind” | July 31st - September 12th | Cheryl Betz, Thia Daniels, Marisa Green, Patty Hudak, Carla Kimball, and Anna Prikazchikova. Opening reception - July 31st, 5-7 PM This group exhibition examines what it means to remain present and rooted at the intersection of forces beyond our control. The wind does not ask permission before it changes direction. It arrives, shifts the landscape, and moves on, leaving behind evidence of its passing in bent branches, scattered seeds, and the long memory of those who stood in its path. @cm.betz @hudakpatty

Natasha Wein, Talia Roberts and Steve Arcone, exhibitions on view July 31st - September 12th. Join us for the opening reception, July 31st, 5 - 7 PM! Natasha Wein’s exhibition “If These Feet Could Fly” emerged from the artist’s question, “What do you do when the body you've built your art around stops working?”. Her feet-made paintings respond to her decline in physical health, grieving what was, and fighting for what remains. Talia Roberts and Steve Arcone - Two Visions, One World: A Dual Exhibition brings our natural world into focus. Roberts’ “Earth Memories, Moon Visions” paints with stone ground pigment, returning to celestial and terrestrial motifs in a dialogue that honors the Earth. Arcone’s “Icescapes in the Abstract: Images from New Hampshire Ponds” observes nature in the macroscopic. Behind Arcone’s lens, New England’s frozen landscape is transformed. @stevearconephotography @nweinart

We had a great crowd come out last night to hear John Stomberg talk about twelve of the paintings in his solo show in the Linda Roesch Visual Arts Gallery. Though he has only been painting a few years, he has over 50 years of art history stored up in his brain to call on. It was fascinating to hear him talk about his painting process and what his paintings mean to him. He’ll be retiring from his position as director of the Hood Museum later this summer to paint full time. Can’t wait to see what the future brings!

TODAY! Artist talk with John Stomberg, 5:30 - 6:30 PM. Learn more about the artist's exhibition "World Repair: Recent Paintings by John Stomberg" and his process as a painter. @artstomberg Artworks: "Resurgence" and "Hanging in the Balance", acrylic on canvas Last image credit: Ted Degener

Artist Talk with John Stomberg, Friday, July 10, 5:30-6:30 PM. Stomberg's lively, geometric pieces are a contemplation upon the concept of Tikkun Olam, or "world repair". The artist will discuss his journey to the visual arts and his process for this body of work during his artist talk, you won't want to miss it! @artstomberg Artwork: "Drop", acrylic on canvas *first image credit: Ted Degener

Mark your calendars! AVA will be hosting an artist talk with exhibiting artist John Stomberg on Friday, July 10th, 5:30 - 6:30 PM. This is a great opportunity to hear from the artist himself and celebrate his show here at AVA. @artstomberg Artwork: "Falling Back to Earth" and "Untitled", acrylic on canvas Last image credit: Ted Degener

Art. Dance. Friends. Vibe. Late Nights at AVA. July 15. 5-9 PM. bit.ly/AVAlatenights #heyuppervalley #latenights #UVarts #uppervalley

Following his retirement from the Hood Museum at Dartmouth as the Virginia Rice Kelsey 1961s Director in July, John Stomberg will be dedicating his time to painting. His exhibition "World Repair: Recent Paintings by John Stomberg" at AVA, is the first step in this journey. The artist will be generously donating all of his proceeds to AVA for which we are so grateful! Stomberg's work will be on view and for sale until August 15th, be sure to stop by and take a look! His online gallery is also available at the link in our bio. @artstomberg 1. "One Go Around", Acrylic on paper, 🔴 sold 2. "Tikkun Olam, 2026", Acrylic on canvas, 🔴 sold 3. "Hanging in the Balance", Acrylic on canvas, 🔴 sold 4. "Tikkun Olam (Indigo)", Acrylic on paper, 🔴 sold 5. "Resurgence", Acrylic on canvas, 🔴 sold 6. Tikkun Olam ( Celadon)", Acrylic on paper, 🔴 sold 7. "Drop", Acrylic on canvas, 🔴 sold

What a wonderful night! Thank you to everyone who joined us last Thursday for the opening of John Stomberg's exhibition "World Repair: Recent Paintings by John Stomberg". The exhibition will be on view until August 15, be sure to visit this incredible show! @artstomberg Last image credit: Ted Degener

One more week to see the PRIDE In the Upper Valley show at AVA! And make plans to celebrate with us this Saturday, June 27, from 5-10 pm. More details about the event at bit.ly/AVAPride 🌈Thanks to our friends at @luckyscoffeegarage @lebanonoperahouse and @dartmouthhealth Aging Resource Center for their support of the exhibition and celebration! #pride #heyuppervalley #uppervalleyart

a place visited only in dreams | call to artists! AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, NH. Submission Deadline: Mon. Aug. 10. Exhibition dates: Sept. 25-Nov. 14, 2026 (link in bio to submit your work) **Call for Artwork in the Style of Surrealism** A Place Visited Only in Dreams invites artists to explore the shifting terrain of the subconscious, where logic dissolves and imagination reigns. Rooted in the legacy of Surrealism, this exhibition seeks works that construct alternate realities—worlds shaped by dream imagery, memory fragments, intuition, and the irrational. Here, narratives unfold beyond the boundaries of waking life, where objects may float, figures transform, scale collapses, and time behaves unpredictably. Surrealism has long offered a visual language for expressing what cannot be spoken directly: desire, fear, wonder, longing, and the strange poetry of the mind at rest. In this exhibition, we are drawn to artworks that embrace unexpected juxtapositions, uncanny atmospheres, and illogical pairings that provoke both unease and fascination. Whether playful or haunting, meditative or disruptive, these works invite viewers to step into spaces that feel familiar yet impossible— places visited only in dreams. We welcome submissions in all media that interpret dream states, altered perception, subconscious narrative, or imagined worlds. Artists are encouraged to consider how their work might open a portal to the irrational, the symbolic, or the deeply personal terrain of inner vision. Step beyond waking reality. Enter the dream.

TODAY! John Stomberg's opening reception of "World Repair: Recent Paintings by John Stomberg" is today from 5-7! From potholes to the justice system, Stomberg sees a world in need of repair. Obsessed with the question "Can we fix the world?" He has now channeled years of artistic inquiry into paintings that explore the ancient Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam, or world repair, through a vivid visual language of sweeping gold lines, expressive geometry, and radiant color. To preview the exhibition check out the link in bio. (The artist is generously donating all sales proceeds to AVA!) @artstomberg @hoodmuseum #hoodmuseum #heyuppervalley #nhartsconnect

Thank you to Seven Days' Alice Dodge for the Spotlight on AVA's upcoming exhibition "World Repair: Recent Paintings by John Stomberg". We are thrilled to have Stomberg's artwork in our Linda Roesch Visual Art Gallery, opening tomorrow, Thursday, June 18, 5-7. @artstomberg Read the full article at article: https://www.sevendaysvt.com/arts-culture/visualart/painter-john-stomberg-considers-world-repair-at-ava-gallery/

Join us tomorrow (Thursday!) for the opening reception of John Stomberg's exhibition "World Repair: Recent Paintings by John Stomberg", Thursday, June 18th, 5 -7! Stomberg will also be hosting an artist talk on Friday, July 10, 5:30-6:30 PM, mark your calendars! To preview the exhibition check out the link in bio. (The artist is generously donating all sales proceeds to AVA!) John Stomberg’s upcoming exhibition at AVA, captures a world in technicolor. Exploring the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam, or world repair, the artist paints a world between two places — what it is and what it could be. Kaleidoscopic and vibrant, these works are contemplative as much as they are hopeful. @artstomberg @hoodmuseum #heyuppervalley #nhartsconnect #hoodmuseum #dartmouth

FEW TICKETS REMAIN for our Printmaking and Pairings experience this Saturday from 5-7 pm! Your evening of beginner-friendly artmaking awaits. Learn monotype printing techniques, make some friends, and leave with finished prints to call your own. We’ve also teamed up with cheese champion Lisa Griffin of Springbrook Cheese, to bring you a selection of local cheeses and beverage pairings that complement artmaking perfectly. Registrations are limited. Grab your ticket today at bit.ly/printandpair

Thank you again, to Jamie Franklin for spending time with us at AVA! Jamie's juror interview and juried tour are now available to watch on our website (link in bio) and on our YouTube channel! We are so grateful to have Jamie's insight about this year's Juried Exhibition! @jamiefranklin1776

Explore the magic of these otherworldly artworks! Embrace the practice of slow looking in our Main galleries during this year's Biennial Juried Exhibition. Experiencing art not only nourishes the mind and soul but also the body! According to a recent study by University College London (UCL) interacting with art can slow the process of aging by 4%. Exercising your artistic mind here at AVA, Monday - Saturday, 10-5! artworks by: 1. "Pan Pop-Up Book" by Sally Chapman (@sallychapmannow) 2. "Moon Serenade Pop-Up Book" by Sally Chapman 3. "Blue Lagoon" by Yasamin Safarzadeh 4. "The Beginning of the End" by Erik Grau (@erik.grau) article: "Enjoying the arts ‘has same effect on ageing as a weekly workout’". Kaya Burgess, The Times. May 12, 2026. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/science/article/enjoying-the-arts-has-same-effect-on-ageing-as-a-weekly-workout-h2psl0ww8

What a great night! Last Friday our Juror of the 2026 Juried Exhibition, Jamie Franklin, Director of Collections and Exhibitions at the Bennington Museum gave a brilliant tour of the show, highlighting a selection of works and spoke about his curatorial vision for the show. The opening reception followed the tour and four artists were presented with Juror Recognition Awards, each received a small cash award and will have a solo exhibition in the 2027 exhibition program: Erik Grau @erik.grau, Ann Kremers, Jesse Harrod, and Lyn Swett Miller @lynswettmiller, congratulations artists, well done! A video of the tour and an interview with Jamie will soon be available for viewing on our website.

AVA Gallery and Art Center is the cultural hub for the visual arts in the Upper Valley. For over 50 years we've served 61 communities across New Hampshire and Vermont as a catalyst for the arts. Help us continue pursuing our mission! Click the link in our bio to make your #NHGives gift today. #HeyUpperValley #NHGives2026 #UVArts #SupportTheArts

Hey friends, it’s #nhgives and right now every gift is matched 1:1 by the incredible @paulettewerger — if you get a moment, please help us reach our goal! A gift of any amount makes a big difference: https://mtyc.co/7i46eg Swipe left to see @paulettewerger at work and once more for a fun and lively event tonight 💥✨

Every dollar donated to AVA Gallery during NH Gives supports the Upper Valley creative community and ensures that financial limitations don't stand in the way of curiosity and play. Double down on creative joy and donate to NHGives at the link in our bio! #HeyUpperValley #NHGives2026 #UVArts #SupportTheArts

NH Gives is live, and AVA needs your help! This year, AVA set a goal to raise $13,500 for our annual fund. With the support of THREE exceptional matching gift donors, the $13,500 we raise will be matched 1:1 for a total of $27,000! Double your support with a gift to AVA today. NH Gives dashboard link in bio. #HeyUpperValley #NHGives2026 #UVArts #SupportTheArts

Join us at AVA Gallery and Art Center on Thursday, June 11, at 7:00 PM for an evening of live storytelling on the theme “Over My Head.” Come hear friends and neighbors share true stories that range from heartfelt to hilarious—and maybe even step up to share your own story as an audience pick. Enjoy refreshments, raffle prizes, and a night of community, laughter, and connection. 🎟️ Get your tickets at the link in our bio. #TheMudroom #AVAGallery #Storytelling #CommunityStories #LiveEvents LebanonNH

We are on a mission to make play accessible to everyone. During #NHGives, your generosity helps us expand our programming so no young artist or lifelong learner is left on the outside looking in. Join us for NH Gives: June 9-10, 5 PM - 5 PM. Link in bio. #HeyUpperValley #NHGives2026 #UVArts #SupportTheArts

Juried Exhibition Tour with Jamie Franklin, Friday, June 5, at 4PM. We are pleased to have Jamie Franklin as this year's Juror of AVA's Biennial Juried Exhibition. Franklin received his MFA in Art History from the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art. He has been curator at the Bennington Museum since 2005, and the Museum's Director of Collections and Exhibitions since 2020. His scholarship has focused on American art of the early to mid-20th century, with a particular emphasis on the intersection of modernism and self-taught art. Get the inside scoop on this year's Juried show before the Opening Reception at 5 PM! @jamiefranklin1776

Join us for the Opening Reception of AVA's Biennial Juried Exhibition: A Shifting Field of Meaning, Friday, June 5, 5-7, Four Juror Awards will be presented at 6 PM, awardees will receive a small stipend and an exhibition in 2027. This year's Juror is Bennington Museum's, Jamie Franklin, Director of Collections and Exhibitions. Franklin will also be hosting a tour of the Exhibition at 4 PM on Friday, June 5. We hope to see you there! @jamiefranklin1776 Slide samplers!

Are you tired of the same old boring Saturday nights? Well, don’t sweat it, because AVA Gallery has the experience for you! Join us for Printmaking & Pairings: Saturday, June 20, 5-7 pm Your evening of beginner-friendly artmaking awaits. Learn monotype printing techniques, make some friends, and leave with finished prints to call your own. But wait, there’s more! We’ve teamed up with cheese champion Lisa Griffin of Springbrook Cheese to bring you a selection of local cheeses and beverage pairings that will make your tastebuds party. Registrations are limited. Sign up today! Register at the link in our bio or bit.ly/printandpair #heyuppervalley #UVArts #UpperValleyArts #NHArts #AVAforAll nhartists

AVA's 2026 Biennial Juried Exhibition: A Shifting Field of Meaning, June 5 - July 18. The 2026 juror is Bennington Museum's Director of Collections and Exhibitions, Jamie Franklin. This year's submissions were especially poignant, exploring themes of identity, belonging, and nature to name a few. From across the region and beyond, AVA's Main galleries will bring together a range of artists. Each with their own voices, styles, and mediums, these artists show the rich art culture the Upper Valley has to offer - we are proud to have them here at AVA! The Opening Reception will be preceded by an exhibition tour with Jamie Franklin at 4 PM. Awards will be presented at 6 PM. Four Juror Recognition Awards will be given, and solo exhibitions by those artists will follow in Summer 2027 @jamiefranklin1776 #heyuppervalley #nhartsconnect Sampler Slides!

What a blast we had yesterday in our Gelli plate printing workshop! What a great group of creative makers, thanks so much for joining us. We'll do it again soon. AVA staff led and joined in the fun, thanks Sheryl, Peili, and Sam. @sheryl_trainor_art @eckertsamantha @peiliheitzman #heyuppervalley #nhartsconnect #Gelli #gelliplate #gelliprinting

Thank you so much to Jackie Brown (@j_a_c_k_i_e_b_r_o_w_n) for her incredible artist talk! Brown discussed her artistic process and inspiration for her ceramic works. For those who missed it, check out our website for a recording of her talk.

A new series of "In the Studio" is now available on our website. Featuring AVA's Alumnx of exhibiting artists over the past few years. Recently exhibiting artists Jackie Brown, Steve Budington, and Maxwell Holden bring us into their creative spaces and talk about their exhibitions here at AVA. @j_a_c_k_i_e_b_r_o_w_n @stevebudingtonstudio @maxwellholden

Join us for a relaxing, super fun, and creative gelli printing and journal making activity tomorrow, Saturday, May 30th, 2-4 PM. No experience or artmaking skills necessary, all are welcome! All supplies provided. Suggested donation $20 pp #heyuppervalley #nhartsconnect @westcentralnhvt

Join us for a Dartmouth Graduate Film Screening at AVA! The screening will be held on Friday, May 29 at 7 PM in the North Studio (second floor). The filmmakers are Chase Harvey, Sascha Lourdes, and Polly Chesnakova, come celebrate these artists and their work!

Last Friday, AVA hosted a conversation between the Hood Museum of Art's Katherine Hart and John Stomberg. Together, they invited guests into the inside world of museum curation and their adventures at the Hood Museum at Dartmouth and beyond. If you missed the chance to see them in person a recording of their talk is available on our website. Thank you Kathy and John for this incredible night!

Join us for a Dartmouth Graduate Film Screening at AVA! The screening will be held on Friday, May 29 at 7 PM in the North Studio (second floor). The filmmakers are Chase Harvey, Sascha Lourdes, and Polly Chesnakova, come celebrate these artists and their work! Hosted by the fabulous Rich Fedorchak @guano9pyle

Join us for a relaxing, super fun, and creative gelli printing and journal making activity Saturday, May 30th, 2-4 PM. No experience or artmaking skills necessary, all are welcome! All supplies provided. Suggested donation $20 pp #heyuppervalley #nhartsconnect @westcentralnhvt

Our tulips have faded, but our irises are about to flood our campus with purple. Do you love gardening and supporting pollinators and have a few hours to spend in our gardens? We would love to have you join us there! Go to our website or call Claire at 603-448-3117 for more information!🌻

We’re closed today in observance of Memorial Day. May those who fell also be remembered in the art by those who have studied art thanks to the GI Bill. Red Poppies Ii, silkscreen, Donald Sultan, 2007

TODAY! Jackie Brown's artist talk, 3-4. You won't want to miss it! Jackie Brown | Fault Lines and Foundations These sculptural works hover between vitality and fossilization. They stretch and reach even as they calcify and decay, suggesting roots, bones, or remnants of once-living structures. They inhabit a charged in-between state that is simultaneously harmonious and tense, malleable and near breaking. In this ambiguity lies their power, reflecting broader environmental and psychological conditions marked by instability, adaptation, and interdependence. Working primarily in clay, she uses 3D printing and mold making as starting points for experimental forms that invite reflection on how we perceive and relate to the natural world. At the heart of Jackie Brown’s work is a love of materiality and an endless curiosity about what it means to be alive. Jackie Brown’s work invites reflection on how we perceive and relate to the natural world. She exhibits widely, including recent sculpture at the Alabama School of Fine Arts and the Indianapolis Art Center. Brown is the recipient of a Maine Artist Fellowship and has participated in numerous art residency programs, including the European Ceramic Work Center in the Netherlands and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City. Brown lives on a creek among the hemlock and white pines of Maine. She teaches at Bowdoin College, where she is currently Chair of the Visual Arts Department and oversees the sculpture area. She holds an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University and a BA from Hamilton College. @j_a_c_k_i_e_b_r_o_w_n #heyuppervalley #nhartsconnect #contemporaryceramicsculpture

Tonight! Join us for an evening of Art, Memory & Anecdote: FRIDAY, MAY 22, 5:30–6:30 | IN CONVERSATION: REFLECTIONS & ANECDOTES With John R. Stomberg, Virginia Rice Kelsey 1961s Director of the Hood Museum of Art, and Katherine W. Hart, retired Senior Curator of Collections and Curator of Academic Programming, Hood Museum of Art. Stomberg and Hart to reflect on their careers through intimate, story-driven questions. The discussion moves from professional near-misses — works they tried but failed to acquire — to unexpected discoveries that stopped them cold. They explore how visitors, students, and donors have reshaped their understanding of art, and which single object in the Hood's collection continues to reward close attention. Lighter moments surface too, including behind-the-scenes stories of things going memorably wrong. It closes with an open, enduring question each has carried throughout their career — about art, collecting, and the deeper purpose of museums. Together, the questions paint a portrait of two lives spent in devoted service to art. #heyuppervallery #nhartsconnect #artmuseum #dartmouth #hoodmuseumdartmouth

What a turnout! In case you missed Ted Degener's author talk and book signing, we are still selling signed copies of his books. Thank you to everyone who attended the talk this past Friday, we were excited to see the West and Lawrence galleries filled. A recording of Ted's talk is now available on our website and at the link in our bio! @avagallery.org @teddegener Slide 1: image credit: Larry Vanier

Join exhibiting artist Jackie Brown for her artist talk on May 23rd, 3-4 PM! Brown is a ceramicist based in Maine, whose work experiments with material, process, and design. Collaborating with 3D printing, molds, and AI, Brown's physical and technical tools shape her craft. Learn more about her process and her exhibition "Fault Lines and Foundations" at her artist talk! @j_a_c_k_i_e_b_r_o_w_n #heyuppervalley #nhartsconnect #contemporaryceramicsculpture

Join us Friday, May 22, for an evening with Retired Curator of Collections and Curator of Academic Programming at the Hood Museum of Art, Katherine W. Hart, spent 30 years at the Hood, forging the museum’s academic programming. Hart was the first curator of academic programming in the country, setting a precedent both at the Hood and nationally for academic integration with curation. Preceding her tenure at Dartmouth, Hart worked at the Clark Art Institute, LACMA, UCLA, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her vast experience at leading art institutions throughout the years provided her with a wealth of curating adventures and artistic connections. One of these connections is the Hood’s Virginia Rice Kelsey 1961s Director, John R. Stomberg whose own career has overlapped twice with Hart. The two will reunite at AVA for a conversation about their time at the Hood, the challenges, joys, and surprises they faced during their time there. We hope to see you there! #heyuppervallery #nhartsconnect #artmuseum #dartmouth #hoodmuseumdartmouth

Join us Friday, May 22, for an evening with Virginia Rice Kelsey 1961s Director of the Hood Museum at Dartmouth, John R. Stomberg, has dedicated his life to the arts. Before his 10 year tenure at Dartmouth, Stomberg worked at Mount Holyoke College Art Museum as the Florence Finch Abbott Director, the Joseph Allen Skinner Museum, Williams College Museum of Art, and Boston University Art Gallery. Throughout his formidable curatorial career, Stomberg specialized in American art and culture from 1900 as well as contemporary European art. Notably, Stomberg directed the Hood’s extensive renovation that began in 2016. Through his vision, the museum underwent a 16 gallery reinstallation, renovation of museum space and object study center, and rebranding for a new chapter of the Hood. Stomberg’s decade-long devotion to the Hood brought with it countless adventures; ahead of his retirement in June, Stomberg will be joined by retired Hood curator Katherine W. Hart, at AVA to reflect on their adventures together at the Hood. Photo credit: John R. Stomberg at the Hood Museum, Rob Strong #heyuppervallery #nhartsconnect #artmuseum #dartmouth #hoodmuseumdartmouth

Step into the studio this summer 🎨 Join Painting in the Studio with instructor Mursal Nazary, meeting June 2 – July 7, 2026, 6–8 pm. This course invites you to slow down and look closely—working from observation with a range of subjects, including still-life and the human form. You’ll explore how to translate what you see into paint, learning how to match color, build form, and expand your expressive toolkit along the way. Each session also includes looking at paintings from a variety of cultures, opening up conversations about how artists across time and place use color, composition, and meaning in endlessly different ways. Open to all experience levels—whether you’re just starting out or returning to painting after time away. Come explore what painting can be. 👉️Link in Bio

Join us for a relaxing, super fun, and creative gelli printing and journal making activity Saturday, May 30th, 2-4 PM. No experience or artmaking skills necessary, all are welcome! #heyuppervalley #nhartsconnect @westcentralnhvt

Join exhibiting artist Jackie Brown for her artist talk on May 23rd, 3-4 PM! Brown is a ceramicist based in Maine, whose work experiments with material, process, and design. Collaborating with 3D printing, molds, and AI, Brown's physical and technical tools shape her craft. Learn more about her process and her exhibition "Fault Lines and Foundations" at her artist talk! @j_a_c_k_i_e_b_r_o_w_n #heyuppervalley #nhartsconnect #contemporaryceramicsculpture

Rock/Paper/Scissors: Abstract Processes 🗓 May 30–31, 2026 ⏰ 10 am–4 pm 🎨 Instructor: Peter Anderson 👉Link in our Bio Explore abstraction through process, experimentation, and material discovery in this immersive two-day workshop. Using plates, papers, graphite, pigment, burnishing, tearing, and collage, participants will create layered works that balance structure and uncertainty. Peter Anderson’s methods come directly from hundreds of hours of studio exploration — testing materials, transferring pigment, and pushing the possibilities of paper and surface. Whether you’re an experienced artist or looking to expand your creative process, this workshop offers a hands-on approach to abstract image-making. 💲$270 + $30 materials fee #AbstractArt #CollageArt #MixedMedia #ArtWorkshop #ContemporaryArt #PaperArt #CreativeProcess #GraphiteArt #StudioWorkshop #ArtClass

Join us for an evening of Art, Memory & Anecdote: FRIDAY, MAY 22, 5:30–6:30 | IN CONVERSATION: REFLECTIONS & ANECDOTES With John R. Stomberg, Virginia Rice Kelsey 1961s Director of the Hood Museum of Art, and Katherine W. Hart, retired Senior Curator of Collections and Curator of Academic Programming, Hood Museum of Art. Stomberg and Hart to reflect on their careers through intimate, story-driven questions. The discussion moves from professional near-misses — works they tried but failed to acquire — to unexpected discoveries that stopped them cold. They explore how visitors, students, and donors have reshaped their understanding of art, and which single object in the Hood's collection continues to reward close attention. Lighter moments surface too, including behind-the-scenes stories of things going memorably wrong. It closes with an open, enduring question each has carried throughout their career — about art, collecting, and the deeper purpose of museums. Together, the questions paint a portrait of two lives spent in devoted service to art. John R. Stomberg Photo Credit: Rob Strong #heyuppervallery #nhartsconnect #artmuseum #dartmouth #hoodmuseumdartmouth

Build something beautiful for the season ahead 🌿🐦 Join us for a hands-on woodworking workshop: Make a Bluebird Birdhouse with instructor Bob Cunningham. Over two days (May 16–17, 2026 | 10 AM–4 PM), you’ll learn how to design and build a durable nesting box specifically for North American bluebirds. Using AVA’s wood shop tools, you’ll gain confidence working with power tools while learning why proper dimensions matter, how to protect nesting birds from predators, and the best ways to place your finished birdhouse outdoors. This is a great introduction to practical woodworking with a project you can proudly take home and put right to use for nesting season. $270 + $50 materials fee 👉️ Link In Bio